Refrigerator



Jana. H i 1927. R 613fi28 B. c. vdN-PLATEN ET AL REFRIGERATOR original Fil ed Nov. 21f1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTOR/l/E V 5$ B. c. VON PLATEN ET AL E TOR Q Original Filed 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan; 11,, 1927..

i fir-TED STATES rel c-28' PATENT OFFICE.

BAtrzAa can; voN PLATE-ZN AND CARL (mono ivr un'rnns; or 's'rocxironm, SWEDEN,

assrenons r nnncrnonugr snnvnnooaronnrron, or New roman. Y.,;A;co:a-

PORATION OF DELAWARE.

REFRIGERATOR.

Original application filed November 21 1925, Serial No. 70,648, and in Sweden Kay 3, 1924. Dividedand this application filed June 5,1926. Serial No. 113,910.

This application is adivision of our 00- pending application Serial No. 70,648, filed November 21, 1925. L The present invention relates to refrigera 6 tors of the absorptiontype, and more particularly to refrigerators having a constant total or gage pressure throughout, 1n whlch refrigeration is obtained by evaporation due 1 to diffusion of a cooling agent into another substance.

The invention has for its objectto provide an improved .circulation between the absorber andthe generator in refrigerators of the type above referred to and conslsts .15 in arranging a series of members to form pockets to which heat is applied, the whole arrangement being of such nature that vaporization in the pockets causes flow of l1quid. The invention will be more readily nn derstooclby reference to the accompanying I drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows one embodlment of the invention inwhich a series of cone shaped members are placed in the generator proper; Figure 2 shows the .cone

shaped members of Fig; 1 on enla'rgedscale;

-- Figure 3 shows an embodiment in which the pocket forming members are placed inan expanded portion of a conduit extending from the absorber to the generator; Figure 4 shows an embodiment wherein the circulating element including the pocket forming members is arranged horizontally; and Figure 5 is "a cross-section on line 5-5,

' as Fig. 4.

Referring more particularly to Fig. '1, reference character 10 designates the generator which contains absorptionliquid and in which the cooling agent is abstracted from solution by heat, this being efiected in the embodiment shown by means of an electric heating element 11 which surrounds the-shell'12 ofthe generator. Vapor generated in generator 10 passes through conduit 13 into condenser14 which comprises aconduit in which the vapor is condensed by means of a. cooling fluid circulating through cooling jacket 15 surrounding the conduit. From the 'condenser 14 the cool,-

1 ing agent in the form of liquid passes into the evaporator 16 where it mixes with an auxiliary agent, into which it difiuses and description.

evaporates, thus producing refrigeration. For the sake of illustration, assumethat v the cooling agent is ammonia and-the auxiliary agent is hydrogen. Ammonia gas and hydrogen then pass downwardly through the evaporator as a mixture and through conduit 17'into the lower part of absorber 18. In the; absorber the ammonia gas is separated from' the' hydrogen and passes into solution in absorption liquid supplied to the absorber by way of conduit 19. The hydrogen thus freed passes upwardly in the absorber and through conduit 20 back into the evaporator to again mix with 'ammonia coming from the condenser. The present invention is not specifically directed to the general arrangement thus far de-. scribed, and thisarrangement is herein-set 7 out for the purpose of illustration. 'For a further and more detailed description of the operation of the parts hereinbefore described, reference may be had to -Patent No. 1,609,334: of December 7, 1926. The ar rangement thus far described and asset out in that patent is not the only arrangement applicable to use with the present invention as will be understood upon further Strong absorption liquid passes through conduit 21 from the lower-part of the absorber to the lower part of the generator 10. v

, Within the generator is situated a series 35 of cones 22, preferably of thin pressed steel. The cones have openings at their apices'v forming a central passage-way 23 for flow ofabsorption liquid through the generator. The cones are ma e and arranged so as to leave a pocket 5- between each of any two adjacent cones, this being accomplished in the. embodiment illustrated by means of flanges 24, more clearly shown in Fig. 2.

Pockets 25 extend obliquely upwardly and form paths for vapor produced therein which vapor being injected into the "central passage-way 23 acts in the manner of an injector to cause an upward movement. of the liquid in the central passage-way.

through their oblique length" to the fluid within the pockets, 25. In order that the 'heat transmission shall .be as effective as possible, thecones are so made and inserted into the generator that the flanges-2 1 have light fit with the shell'12.-

The operation and elfect of the generator arrangement thus far described is as follows:

Assume first that the refrigerator 1S out of operation, that is, without heat supply.

' In'this condition, the various parts of the system being in open communication, the liquid is at a common level in the generator and absorber and possibly also in the evaporator. This level may for example be the line In this condition some of the pockets' contain liquid. Now assume that heat is applied by passing current through the heating element 11. vVapor bubbles are then formed in the'lower part of each of those pockets which contain'liquid, the first formation of vapor occurring directly adjacent the shell due to the greater rate of heat conductivity to these places-and thus there is formed in each pocket containing liquid a body-of obliquely extending liquid with one or more bubbles of vapor formed behind the body and expanding against the body, due to evaporation. The result is that the liquid is forced upwardly into the central passage-way, shooting upwardly and in part flowing and falling into higher pockets where this process of vapor formation behind a body of liquid again takes place, and thus there is a multitude of upwardly directed forces having a common effect of forcing liquid upwardly 1n the generator so that when the refrigerator finally comes into active operatlon, there; is

practicallycontinuous flow through the central passage-nay 23 to the upper part of the generator, caused by this intermittent flow of liquid .into pockets 25, formation of vapor and driving out of liquid. The vapor formed separates from the liquid in the upper part of the generator and passes to thecondenser as before described. p

The n a er )art of the enerator is in tlns case, made larger in order to have a larger disengaging surface and to form a reservoir space for absorption liquid from which space weak absorption liquid flows downwardly through conduit 26 and through conduit 19 into the upper part of the absorber in which it flows downwardly over 'bafiiin plates 27 and absorbs cooling agent.

Con duits 19 and 26 on the one hand and conduit 21 on the other hand may be arranged to exchange heat,

if desired, as shown. Figure 1. a

tor.

scribed.

In the vapor space of the generator 10 there is preferably a plate 28 ,01' other baffling means to prevent liquid from passing into conduit 13. This plate acts to dry the vapor formed in the generator.

The generator and heat exchanger between the absorber and, the generator are preferably surrounded, by heat insulating material 29. p

It has been found advantageous in some forms of apparatus to place small holes 30 near the lower edges ofthe cones. This permits liquid to enter pockets 25 more readily and causesa more rapid starting of the apparatus. I

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the cones, instead of being arranged in the generator proper, are arranged in the conduit- 21 leading from the absorber to the genera- In this embodiment a heating chamber 31 projects into the lower part of the. generator and within this heating chamber 18 a cone chamber 32 containing cones of similar kind to those above de- Conduit 21 connects with cone chamber 32 at the bottom and a conduit leads upwardly from the upper part of cone chamber 31 to the vapor space of the generator, where it isformed into a goose-neck bend to throwthe absorption liquid'downwardly into .the liquid space of the generator While the vapor generated in cone chamber 32 and conduit 33 passes around the end of the conduit and u wardly to.

conduit 13 which leads to a con enser as in Fig. 1. Between cone chamber 32 and the inner wall of chamber 31 is placed an electrical heating element 34.

In .,the embodiment shown in Figs. 1, and

5, tlfe circulating element containing the pockets is placed in a general horizontal di rection and propulsion of liquid is caused to take effect in a horizontal direction. In this case the circulating member is a casting of general rectangular cross-sectional form,

as indicated in Fig. 5. Within this casting is a series of obliquely placed plates 36 forming pockets 37 between them. These plates are soarranged within th'ecasting 35 as to leave a longitudinally extending channel 38 extending along the-whole, length of the'casting. Absorption liquid passes into channel 38 and into pockets 37 from conduit 39 and passes out of channel 38 through conduit -10 into the upper part of the generator 10. The casting 35 is heated by a gas burner 41 which also serves to heat the generator 10. 42 designates an outlet for the products of combustion.

The operation of this modification is substantially the same as that previously described. Absorption liquid fiows into pockets 37 where it is vaporized resulting in an injection of liquid and vaporinto channel 38 in an oblique direction to the desired disaid generator, means to conduct liquid from said generator to said absorber, a channel forming part of said conduit and a series of pockets ,placed obliquely with iespect' to said channel and opening thereinto in direction of flow toward said generator andmeans to apply heat to said pockets. I

2. A refrigerator comprising a generator,

a condenser, an evaporatorfan absorber, a

conduit extendingbetween said absorber and said generator, means to conduct liquid from said generator to said absorber, a -l1orizontally disposed channel forming part of said conduit, a series of pockets placed obliquely with respect to said horizontal channel, and

opening thereintoin direction of How toward said generator and means to apply heat to said pockets.

o. A refrigeratorcomprising a generator,

a condenser, an evaporator, an absorber, a

conduit extending between said absorber'and sa1d generator, means to conduct liquld from no sa1d generator to sa1d absorber, a horlzontally disposed channel forming part of said conduit, a series of pockets situated below said channel and placed obliquely with respect to said channel'and opening thereinto in direction of flow toward said generatorand a gas burner arranged to apply heat to the lower ends of said pockets.

4. Auet'rigerator comprising a generator,

a condenser, an evaporator, an absorber, a 40 conduit extending between said absorber and said generator, means to conduct liquid from said generator .to said absorber, a casting forming part of said conduit a series of" plates within said casting arranged to form a'cha'nnel for flow. through said casting and arranged to formna series of pockets placed obliquely with respect to said channel and opening thereinto in direction of flow toward said generator and means to apply heat to saidcasting. I

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures.

'BALTZAR CARL vbN PLATEN. CARL GEORG MUNTERS. 

